President Muhammdu Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the FEC meeting on the 22nd of March 2017
[Photo Credit: Novo Isioro]

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Between himself, his wife and close lieutenants, President Muhammadu Buhari has at least 101 aides, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

However, over 50 percent of those aides are attached to the office of the vice president.

PREMIUM TIMES has obtained a list of presidential appointees serving as aides to President Buhari, his wife, Aisha Buhari, the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, and other government officials.

Apart from the two men, Mr. Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, has eight aides attached to him.

Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has six presidential aides atttached to his office, while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has five of such aides.

The wife of the president has three recognised aides while the two presidential media assistants are attached to the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Mr. Osinbajo is said to have appointed at least 15 of those aides between June and August, 2017 when Mr. Buhari was away on medical vacation.

‘ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN’

The list shows that Mr. Buhari’s office has aides on wide range of issues, from key areas of administration and media to social events and housekeeping.

The area with the highest number of aides is media, which has eight appointees – at least one known media aide of the president is however not listed.

The eight in the list, apart from the two official spokespersons of the president, include two aides on new/social media, two on photography and one aide each for “TV Media” and “Broadcast Media”.

LION SHARE FOR OSINBAJO

But while Mr. Buhari has a total number of 24 aides, Mr. Osinbajo has 52, going by the list.

Apart from the initial 21 appointees in the office of the vice president, who handle key areas from economy to social investment programme and media, the vice president has another list of 31 aides to his name.

For the latter list of 31, the aides are grouped into two; 14 are identified as donor funded while the rest are categorised as “government funded”.

Those identified as being funded by donors include senior special assistants on power, IDPs, power privatization, monitoring and evaluation, among others.

Omissions

However, like a previous list of appointees officially released by the president, this list is also not without omissions.

Omitted from the list, by PREMIUM TIMES’s check, are at least one aide each for Mr. Buhari and Mr. Osinbajo.

Bashir Ahmad, a Personal Assistant of Mr. Buhari on New Media is excluded so also is a special assistant to the president on inter-governmental affairs, working in the office of the vice president, Abdulrahman Baffa Yola.

The list also does not include security personnel and civil servants attached to these individuals, who an insider said are also in their dozens.

For example, both the president and the vice president are said to have protocol officers and chief security officers.

The president also has an army colonel serving as his Aide de Camp, ADC. A senior police officer is serving the vice president in similar role.

“This is in addition to a routine of other officials deployed from all over the government to serve the two men,” a presidency source said.

SEE FULL LIST BELOW

LIST OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES

S/No.

NAMES

PORTFOLIO

DATE

POLITICAL APPOINTEES BY THE PRESIDENT

1

Mrs. Anne H. Ewohime

Special Assistant (Catering Services) to the President

2

Saleh Yuguda

Special Assistant (House Keeping) to the President

3

Mr. Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the President

4

Mr. Sarki Abba

Senior Special Assistant (Household & Social Events) to the President

5

Mr. Sabi’u Yusuf

Special Assistant (Personal Assistant) to the President

6

Mr. Femi Adesina

Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the President

7

Ya’u Shehu Darazo

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties)

8

Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi

Personal Physician to the President

9

Mohammad Hamisu Sani

Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties)

10

Brig. Gen. P T Boroh (rtd)

Special Adviser to the President/Coordinator, Amnesty Programme

11

Mallam Abba Kyari

Chief of Staff to the President

12

Ahmed Muhammadu Mayo

Special Assistant on Finance and Administration

13

Tolu Ogunlesi

Special Assistant on Digital/News Media

14

Nasiru Adhama

Special Assistant on Youth and Student Affairs

15

Ayuba Balami

Special Assistant on Social Events

16

Bayo Omoboriowo

Personal Assistant to the President (Presidential Photographer)

17

Sunday Aghaeze

Personal Assistant to the President (State Photographer)

18

Naziru Mohammad Bashiru

Personal Assistant to the President (TV Media)

19

Shaaban Ibrahim Ibrahim Sanda

Personal Assistant to the President (Broadcast Media)

20

Lauretta Onochie

Personal Assistant to the President (Social Media)

21

Dr. Samuel Ankeli

Senior Special Assistant on Physically Challenged

22

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs & Diaspora

23

Princess (Mrs. Adejoke O. Adefulire

Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

24

Shehu Garba

Special Assistant on Physically Challenged

VICE PRESIDENT

1

Dr. Balkisu Saidu

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Legal & Compliance Matters

2

Mr. Adeola Rahman Ipaye

Deputy Chief of Staff to the President

3

Mr. Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity

4

Mrs. Maryam Uwais

Special Adviser (Social Investment)

5

Mr. Emmanuel Oludolapo Bright

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Management Team

6

Mr. Edobor Iyamu

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Affairs

7

Mr. Ismaeel Ahmed

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programmes

8

Ms. Olayinka Oyeneyin

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Project Management

9

Fadi Rose Audu

Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters

10

Mr. Omolayo Akinfala

Special Assistant to the President on Protocol

11

Ms. Imeh Patience Okon

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Infrastructure

12

Miss Lillian Idiaghe

Special Assistant to the President on Legal Matters

13

Mr. Arukaino Thomas Umukoro

Special Assistant to the President on Communication Projects

14

Mr. Daniel Oseaga Ikuenobe

Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan

15

Mr. Folarin Alayande

Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan

16

Dr. Effiong Essien

Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan

17

Olaolu Beckley

Special Assistant to the President on Documentation

18

Novo Isioro

Special Assistant to the President on Visual Communication

19

Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs

20

Feyishayo Aina

Special Assistant to the President (Strategic Communications)

21

Hon. Gambo Manzo

Personal Assistant to the President (Political)

DONOR FUNDED

1

Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi

Senior Special Assistant Power

2

Dr. Mariam Masha

Senior Special Assistant (IDPs)

3

Mr. Chiedu Ugho

Senior Special Assistant (Power Privatization)

4

Mr. Runde Osibamowo

Senior Special Assistant (Monitoring and Evaluation)

5

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole

Senior Special Assistant (Trade and Investment)

6

Mr. Muktar Tijina

Special Assistant (Power)

7

Mr. Tochi Nwachukwu

Special Assistant (Power Privatization)

8

Mr. Mohammed Brimah

Special Assistant (IDPs)

9

Mr. Yahaya Maibe

Special Assistant (Social Investments)

10

Mr. Peter Dimike

Special Assistant (Economic Matters)

11

Mr. Adedeji Adeyemi

Special Assistant (NEC Affairs)

12

Mrs. Jibola Ajayi

Special Assistant (BPE Affairs)

13

Mr. Ife Adebayo

Special Assistant (Innovation and Entrepreneurship)

14

Mr. Myani Bukar

Special Assistant (Legal Matters)

GOVERNMENT FUNDED

15

Dr. Adeyemi Depeolu

Special Adviser (Economic Matters)

16

Senator Femi Ojudu

Special Adviser (Political Matters)

17

Dr. Nicholas Audifferem

Special Adviser (Research, Legal and Compliance)

18

Mr. Ayoleke Adu

Senior Special Assistant (Economic Matters)

19

Mrs. Foluso Idumu

Senior Special Assistant (Administration)

20

Mr. Lanre Osibona

Senior Special Assistant (ICT and Logistics)

21

Mr. Sesan Adeboyejo

Senior Special Assistant (Documentation)

22

Mr. Tola Asekun

Senior Special Assistant (Budget)

23

Mr. Donald Wokoma

Special Assistant (NEC Matters)

24

Mr. Bege Bala

Special Assistant (NCP/BPE)

25

Mr. Dotun Adebayo

Special Assistant (Privatization)

26

Mr. Yosola Dawodu

Special Assistant (Protocol)

27

Dr. Abiodun Adelowo

Personal Physician

28

Mrs. Koko Iyamu

Special Assistant (Admin)

29

Ms. Susan Chagwa

Special Assistant Household and Social Events

30

Tayo Basirat Fakorede

Special Assistant (Special Duties)

31

Mosope Olaosebikan

Special Assistant (Media and ICT)

SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION

1

Mr. Gideon Samani

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Political)

2

Prof. A. K. Usman

Senior Special Assistant on Legal, Research and Documentation

3

Ayuba Musa Birma

Special Assistant to the President (Political)

4

Umaru Waziri Kumo

Personal Assistant to the President (Special Duties)

5

Ibrahim Bapetel Hassan

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Policy Development & Analysis)

CHIEF OF STAFF

1

Mallam Tijjani Yusuf

Special Assistant (General Duties) to the President

2

Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs/Int. Relations

3

Lai Yahaya

Senor Special Assistant to the President on Policy and Strategy

4

Fola Oyeyinka

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters

5

Bode Oyetunde

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Finance and Fiscal Policy

6

Farouk Gumel

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties

7

Musa Shafi’i

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration

8

Abdul Mutallab Muktar

Senior Special Assistant to the President on General Duties

The Wife of the President

1

Dr. Mohammed Kamal Abdulrahman

Personal Physician to the Wife of the President

2

Hadi Uba

Special Assistant to the President (Admin II) to the Wife of the President

3

Dr. Hajo Sani

Senior Special Assistant (Admin) to the Wife of the President

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION

1

Alhaji Ahmadu Giade

Special Assistant to the President on Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances

2

Mr. Sylvester Imhanobe

Special Assistant to the President on Research/Special Duties

3

Mrs. Juliet Chikaodili Ibekaku Nwagwu

Special Assistant to the President on Reforms

4

Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji Aikomo

Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes

5

Mr. Kehinde Isaac Oginni

Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes

6

Chief Okoi Ofem Obono – Obla

Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution

MINISTER OF INFORMATION

1

Mr. Williams Adeleye

Special Assistant to the President on Media (SA to Minister of Information)

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